Flexible receptacle



IJuly 27, 1937. w. RBux'roN 2,088,286

' FLEXIBLE RECERTAGLE l Filed Feb. il, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTORMRA/n? 50x70/r BY ATTORNEYS Patented July 27, y1937 ,UNITED` STATESPATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

and resilient material, mounted alongside and` 10 `closely adjacent onerow of fingers of the fastener and functioning as a trackway for thesliding element of the fastener, guiding it in a substantiallypredetermined course and materially improving the smoothness ofoperation of the fastener slide.

l5 According to another feature of the invention, the trackway mayemborder two or three sides of the receptacle and thus be arranged insub.

stantially right-angular or U-shaped formwith*4 the advantage ofstiffening the receptacle both 20 laterally and longitudinally along itsmargins and assisting in maintaining the shape voi the receptacle.

According to another feature of the invention, the trackway member maybe made to serve as 25 a limiting stop predeterminingl the degree to fwhich the two covers or main walls of the receptacle can be broughttogether and preventing collapse of the receptacle, when empty or onlypartly filled.` 30 'There are (many other advantages incident to the useofthe structure described in a receptacle of the class above set forth.These advantages and other objects will appear as the detaileddescription proceeds.

The invention will be disclosed with reference to the .accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a small scale view of a brief case embodying the invention,shown open;

Fig. 2 is a view ofthe brief case closed;

40 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and drawnto a larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a sectional -view taken similarly to Fig. 3 but showing thebrief case partially closed;

Fig. 5 is a view of a modified form of brief case; y

Fig. 6 is a view -of an open key case embodying the invention and f Fig.7 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 3 and 55 may extend along two edges)in any suitable way (ci. 15o-3) and along the remaining-edges by aso-called zipper" or sliding fastener. In this case,y the connectionbetween the walls Ill consists of an integral side wall II which spacesthe walls Ill, or covers of the receptacle; apart a distance about equalto that by which theyv would be spaced by the sliding', fastener means.Such means include two flexible tapes I2, usually of fabric, and eachcarrying a series of metallic .fastening fingers I3, which are adaptedto be engaged and disengaged by moving a slide I 4, in the usual andwell known way. The tapes'iZ are secured one to each cover I in anysuitable way. As shown in Fig. 3, a part I2' of each tape isflaid at onthe inner face of each cover andA secured thereto by adhesive and thestitches `I 5,v along the free marginal edges of its cover. 'I'heremainder of each tape and the fastener lingersr I3 extend more or lessat right angles to its cover. By moving the slide I4 in thedirectionshown by the arrow in Fig. 2, the fastener fingers I3 will be disengagedand the covers I0 made free'to be swung open, as shown in Fig. 1, or atleast spread apart in the event that the covers are permanentlyconnected along two edges.v By moving the slide in the oppositedirection, the fingers I3 will be interlocked and the walls heldtogetherto enclose the contents of the receptacle.

'I'he improvement of this invention consists in mounting a rather stiffbut nevertheless flexible member I 6 on one of the walls or covers IIIin upstanding relation. Such member lies adjacent to one of the tapesI2, parallels the course of the tape and is substantially coextensive inlength therewith. Itis substantially stiffer than the tape and stiffenough to be self sustaining and retain its upstanding relationship withthe cover. At the same time, it is yieldable and can flex when requiredso that it doesnt detract from the fiexible nature of the receptacle.The member I6, as shown herein, is made of leather or the like and isfastened like the tape I2 to its cover. That is a portion I of themember I 6 is inturned and bent at right angles thereto to lie flatagainst the inner face of the cover III and such portion is secured tothe latter in any suitable way. To add stiffness to the member,

, vit may in its upstanding portion be made of two plies, and ifnecessary, reenforced by a member such as I 'I placed between the plies.As shown in Fig. 3, the member I6 is a strip doubled over around areenforcing cord I1 and its inner ply is skived as at I8, and securedadhesively or otherwise to the outer ply. The height of member I6 ispreferably about equal to that of wall II.

Still. some oi' the advantages of the invention can be secured if memberI6 is made just high enough so that its outer edge projects Just beyondthe outer extremities of the adjacent series of fastener fingers I3.

The flexible receptacle is usually provided with a suitable lining 20,secured as by adhesive to the inner face of the covers I0 and wall I I.This lining overlies and conceals the margins I 2 of the tapes I2 andmargin I5 of member I6.

The invention is disclosed in connection with a. brief case in Figs. 1,2, 3, and 4. It can obviously be used in many other types ofreceptacles, having flexible walls held together by a sliding fastener.Two examples of such other types are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5,the receptacle comprises two covers 2| permanently fastened togetheralong the edges 22 and 23 and having the remaining edges held togetherby the sliding fastener. The member 24, shown in dotted lines,corresponds to the member I6 and parallels the course of the slidingfastener along the two edges which are not permanently secured. In Fig.6, the receptacle is a key case, constructed in the same Way as thereceptacle of Figs. 1 to 4 but on a smaller scale. Parts in Fig. 6 whichcorrespond with parts in Figs. l to 4 have been designated by the samereference numerals primed. In Fig. 6, a series of key holders 25 arepivotally mounted in a slotted tubular support 26, fixed to a metalplate 21 riveted as at 28 to one cover I0. The other cover may havesecured thereto along three sides a leather piece 29, forming a pocketfor cards, or automobile license and registration papers.

In somecases, it may be desirable to provide both covers II) withmembers similar to the member I6. In Fig. 7, one cover I0 carries amember 30 which is mounted and functions in the same way as the memberI6. The other cover I0 carries a similar member 3| which is mounted likethe member 30 but preferably spaced from its tape I2 a slightly greaterdistance, so that when the receptacle is closed, the member 3| lies justinside the member 30. The member 3| serves like the member 30 to retainarticles out of the way of the fastener fingers. In addition, when thecovers close, the member 3| backs up the member 30 and reenforces thelatter, affording added stiffness to the trackway, which may bedesirable in the larger receptacles such as portfolios and brief cases.

The member I6 provides a track for the slide I4 to ride upon. It is setso close to the tapes that the latter are pushed outwardly from it bythe slide so that a bearing of the slide on the member is insured. InFig. 4, it will be seen that the inner face of the slide rides on theouter face of member I6. Since the tapes I2 are necessarily' veryexible, they do not hold their fingers I3 in true upstanding relationwith respect to the cover to which they are secured nor in an orderlyrow closely aligned with the edges of the cover. As will be seen fromFig. 1, the tapes I2 can bow outwardly away from the edge of the coverand they can, and frequently do, especially in the larger receptacles,assume a wavy formation. 'Ihe slide Il, of course, finally pulls therows of ngers and their tapes into line but the operation is not smoothand often is not at all easy. The slide tends to stick because there isnothing to direct its course except the tapes I2 which are usuallydistorted or in wavy formation. 'Ihe slide rides up over bumps formed byoutwardly bulging portions and down into valleys between the bumps andnecessarily the action is rough. At some places it pulls easily and atothers hard. Frequently, it sticks. The member I6, however, definitelyimproves the smoothness of operation of the slide and makes it mucheasier. A deflnite guide for the slide is provided. Not an inflexibleone but one which has materially greater stiffness than the tapes I2 andone that has the quality of resiliency that is entirely lacking in thetapes. If the tapes are pushed outwardly or inwardly, they remain in thepositions'to which they have been moved. They have no springinesstending to restore them to a normal position. The member I 6 has thisresilient quality and tends to retain its position of parallelism withthe edges of the cover. Hence it provides a deflnite guide for the slideIl.

Aside from its guiding function, the member I6 has many otheradvantages. It aids materially in maintaining the shape of thereceptacle by stiffening it along its marginal edges. Where as shown,the member I6 parallels two or more sides of the receptacle, itseffectiveness as a stiiening means is materially increased because ittends to avoid bending of the covers both laterally and longitudinallyalong the edges. 'I'he member I6 also indicates the limits of areawithin which articles should be placed on the cover of the receptacle soas not to project into the path of the sliding fastener. It also, ifmade as high as wall II, indicates the depth capacity of the receptacle.If an article placed on cover I0 projects above member I6, the userknows that the receptacle will be bulged and distorted when closed. So,if the user wants the receptacle to retain its normal shape, he placeson the cover only articles which do not project above the member I6 andkeeps them all within the area marked off by the fence-like member I6.When the receptacle is empty or only partly filled, the member I6prevents the collapse which would otherwise occur of the receptacle.Except for the member I6, the covers III could move more closelytogether along the three sides having the tapes I2 secured thereto. Themember I6 thus maintains the shape of thereceptacle even when empty.

T he member I6 has another important function. Naturally it acts like awall and tends to prevent articles from sliding outwardly into aposition between the rows of fingers I3 and into the path of the slideI4. But if an article does accidentally project beyond th confines ofthe fence-like member I6, it is helI by the member in an elevatedposition above one row of fingers I3. Thus, it cannot ordinarily bcaught between the two sets of fingers as they interlock. If the articleis not flabby and possesses sufficient stiffness so that its projectingpart cannot droop onto the lower row of ngers I3, it will be pushed outof the way when the fastener slide I4 is moved into engagement with it.lThe slide I4 will slide the article along the top edge of member I6 andin many cases the article will be turned as it is moved along so that itwill drop back into the receptacle. Thin metal articles and papers willactin this way, for example. In case the article, when pushed along bythe slide I 4, does not become so turned or positioned as to drop backinto the area bounded by member I6, the worst that can happen is that itwill be pushed along by the slide until it abuts wall II. Then the userwill have to extricate it in order toA fully close the receptacle. But`there will be no wedging of the article between the two sets of lingersI3 nor any injury caused to the lingers. An article, when once caughtbetween the lingers, is difiicult to extract and usually it cannot bedone without injury to the article and sometimes` injury to the ngers I3. Thus,` it isimportant to avoid as far as possible, the chance forarticles to become caughty between the rows of lingers I3. The member I6effects this result as to all articles usually carried in a brief case,because such articles havethe degree of stiffness above set forth.

With special reference to the key case, the member I6 serves to limitthe outward swinging movement of the key holders and prevents them fromengaging and wearing the lingers I3. The key holders are usually made oftempered steel and the'ngers I3 of brass. Repeated engagements of theseparts will eventually cause wear of the fingers, particularly when thekey holder is at the same time turned about its own axis, which ispossible since the key holders are mounted to swivel as well as swing insupport 21.

The invention thus provides an extremely useful improvement, capable ofuse in any exlble receptacles having closures of the slidingv fastenertype and characterized by facilitating and improving the action of thesliding fastener as well as by protective and other incidental features.

What I claim is:

A exible receptacle, comprising, a pair of matching ilat cover walls ofleatheror the like permanently connected together along one pora,oes,asc

in closed position, a series of fastener ngers' mounted on each wallalong the remaining portion of its margin, said last-named portionextending in a plurality of angularly related courses from one end tothe other of the rst portion, a sliding element cooperating with saidrows of fingers and operable when moved in one direction to cause-themto engage and when moved in an opposite direction to cause them todisengage, and a relatively stiff but not inflexible member having aright angular cross sectional shape with two legs disposed at rightangles, said member bent to extend along said angularly related coursesof one wall and having one leg parallel with and secured to the innerface thereof, the other leg of said member projecting at right anglesfrom its wall beyond the free ends of the fastener lingers carriedthereby and located inside said ngers but near enough thereto to beengaged by and form a track for said sliding element, said last namedleg serving as a fence to keep the contents of the receptacle out of thepath of the sliding element and as a stop to be engaged by the otherwall and maintain a minimum spacing between said walls and as a stiieneracting by its angular cross sectional shape and its angular relatedcourses to maintain said walls in substantially their normal ilat formand preserve the shape of the receptacle even when empty.

WARNER R. BUXTON;

